Hydraulic rock splitter

Abstract

Apparatus having a pair of presser cheeks for insertion in a drill hole, with a slider wedge slidably engaged therebetween. The forced descent of the slider wedge by a hydraulic cylinder assembly results in the lateral motion of the presser cheeks away from each other. The presser cheeks are supported from the cylinder body of the cylinder assembly, each via two pairs of parallel spaced leaf springs disposed on opposite sides of the slider wedge and normally closely held against the other two pairs of leaf springs supporting the other presser cheek. While the bottom ends of the leaf spring pairs are rigidly coupled to the presser cheeks, their upper ends are connected to the cylinder body via elastic members yieldable to permit upward displacement of the leaf springs with the presser cheeks, as upon withdrawal of the slider wedge, without buckling. Further two pairs of stop rods depend from the cylinder body so as to normally terminate short of the respective presser cheeks. As the elastic members yield to allow upward displacement of the leaf springs, the presser cheeks come into abutment against the respective pairs of stop rods to prevent the buckling and consequent destruction of the leaf springs.